InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the signing of its latest multiple development agreement (MDA) to develop 10 hotels in Germany by 2019 with first time franchisee for the company, Interstar. IHG’s growth strategy continues to gain momentum in Germany with over 85 hotels currently either open or planned under MDA agreements.
The agreement enables Interstar to develop hotels across two of IHG’s brands – Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. The 10 hotels will add approximately 1,700 rooms when signed to Germany’s current development pipeline of close to 4,000 rooms*.
The first hotel under the agreement to be signed is Holiday Inn Frankfurt – Airport, a 288-room new-build property anticipated to open in quarter four of 2016. The hotel features the brand’s Open Lobby, which takes a unique approach to the in-hotel experience for guests. The traditional hotel lobby format is completely transformed by combining the front desk, lobby, restaurant, bar, lounge area and business centre into one open, cohesive space, while refreshing the design to give it a more contemporary feel. Holiday Inn Frankfurt – Airport will join Holiday Inn® Frankfurt – Alte Oper which opened on the 1st March 2015 in Germany’s fifth largest city.
Located at Terminal 2 of Frankfurt International Airport, a shuttle service will operate between Holiday Inn Frankfurt – Airport and the airport’s terminals. The hotel is also very well connected to a number of major motorways and is a fifteen-minute metro ride to Frankfurt city centre.
Martin Bowen, Associate Vice President of Development, Germany, IHG said: “We’re delighted to be signing our ninth MDA with first time franchisee partner Interstar. Our innovative approach demonstrates the flexibility with which we work with our owner partners in order to create a win-win situation for both parties. ”
Wolfgang Gallas, of Interstar said: “We are excited to begin this successful partnership with IHG and grow our portfolio of Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels, IHG’s most popular brand family.”
In 2014 IHG doubled the number of its signings in Germany in comparison to 2013, signing twelve contracts with new and existing owner partners. There are currently 62 IHG hotels open in Germany with a further 21 in the pipeline*.
*Figures as at 31st December 2014.
